Blood Donor Information

When we have a patient in the hospital who is in a crisis and in need of a blood transfusion, we need to have a blood donor of the same species and blood type who is available to donate right away!

Please read over the criteria below to find out if your pet qualifies as a blood donor candidate. If he or she does qualify and you would like to add your pet to our blood donor list, please give us a call and we will set up an appointment for the initial blood draw.

In order to be considered for donating blood, your pet:

Must have a calm temperament and be able to sit for a period of time without much movement.

Must weigh between 55 lbs and 150 lbs.

Must have had routine blood work done within the past 12 months (pre-operative lab work does qualify).

Must be between 2 and 5 years of age.

MUST BE on heartworm prevention, but not on any antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, or antihistamines for 14 days prior to donating.

Must not have a medical history of seizures, heart murmur, or heart disease.

Flea and tick prevention is preferred but not required.

Benefits of donating:

We will run the following blood tests on your pet, free of charge:

Heartworm

Lyme

Ehrlichia canis

Anaplasmosis

Blood typing

You will receive a $50 credit on your account every time your pet donates blood.

There is a new kidney screening test, the IDEXX SDMA™ Test, that enables the identification of chronic kidney disease in cats and dogs months or even years earlier than traditional blood tests. It is estimated that over 1 in 3 cats and 1 in 10 dogs will develop kidney disease in their lifetimes.

We're offering this test for free if your pet has had a Wellness exam with us in the last year. Those yearly Wellness exams are super important in picking up diseases that are easier to treat or even prevent in the early stages. This new SDMA blood test can be a game changer as kidney disease is often silent until it causes significant clinical signs! Take advantage of this amazing new test!!

What is kidney disease?

Your pet's kidneys play an important part in filtering and removing waste from the body. Kidney disease occurs when something causes these functions to be compromised and it typically falls into two categories:

CKD can happen for a variety of reasons: kidney stones, infections (including Lyme disease in dogs), toxins, injuries, genetic abnormalities, cancer, and others. If kidney disease is suspected, your veterinarian will work with you to determine the underlying cause of the disease and create the best treatment or management plan for your pet.

What are the signs of chronic kidney disease?

Regular checkups and screenings are an important part of catching kidney disease as early as possible. Your veterinarian will work with you to determine your pet's kidney function on a regular basis depending on their symptoms, age and other factors.

What is the treatment for chronic kidney disease?

• Feeding a high-quality, kidney-supportive diet, often as wet food to help with hydration.

Once my pet is diagnosed with CKD, what's the long-term management and monitoring plan?

As your pet ages and his or her condition changes, different diets, medications or additional fluids may be needed. Because of this, your veterinarian will work with you to monitor your pet's condition by rechecking your pet's kidney function with blood and urine tests. With early chronic kidney disease, your pet may need a recheck only two or three times a year; more visits are often helpful as the disease progresses.

Look at these beautiful cats looking for homes. Go say hi and see if one steals your heart!

Calling all introverts! Do you know an introvert who you love in your life? So do we! Please help our more insecure or shy cats get adopted by giving them a 30-day adoption trial in your home. Our shy kitty adoption fees will be 20% off for the rest of March. Nixon, Brix, Alba, and Samantha would all love a home before spring comes! ... See more